Martin's Beach lawsuit filed by former Rep. Pete McCloskey's firm

HALF MOON BAY -- The heavyweight law firm of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy joined the fight Tuesday over public access to Martin's Beach, filing a lawsuit to force the property's secretive owner to reopen the road to the shore.

The suit, brought on behalf of the Surfrider Foundation, claims property owner Martins Beach LLC broke the law by not getting a coastal development permit before locking a gate off state Highway 1 and closing off public access to the shore. A separate suit to restore access to the beach was filed in October.

Martins Beach LLC purchased the property in 2008 for $37.5 million. The owner is widely presumed to be venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, who has neither confirmed nor denied the assertion.

Joan Gallo, attorney for Martins Beach LLC, said the owner welcomes the suit. The issue is not a locked gate, Gallo said, but whether the public has the right to access a private road.

"We believe very strongly that the constitutional rights for Martins Beach LLC will prevail," Gallo said.